


This is Mine

by shanachie



Series: This Is Mine [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Cuddling, Emotional Damage, F/M, Hunters, M/M, Off-screen Minor Character Death, canonical spoilers but things are changed, danger to the Hale pack, possessive wolf, under-age sex (both participants are under-age), very very very very pre-Sterek, wee!boys, werewolf shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-09
Updated: 2013-10-26
Packaged: 2017-12-26 02:10:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/960333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shanachie/pseuds/shanachie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek and Stiles through the years starting at age 5.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Age 5

**Author's Note:**

> So I saw this picture a few days ago [This is Mine](http://sterek-stories.tumblr.com/post/59501671253/cherryteddy-mine) and just had to do something with it.

**Age 5**

 

Derek looked up from the blocks he’d been examining as yet another student entered the room. The boy held tightly to the hand of a woman who had to be his mother, but he looked around the room with interest, clearly not at all anxious about being there. He shook his hand free after a moment and headed directly for Derek, tripping on thin air about halfway there.

Derek tried not to face-palm physically but he couldn’t help doing it mentally as the other boy reached him, smiling broadly. “Hi! I’m Stiles.”

Opening his mouth and inhaling to answer _Stiles_ (and what kind of name was Stiles?), Derek was caught by a scent that he couldn’t place. He’d never smelled anything like it, it wasn’t pack but it _almost-could-be-might-be-maybe_ pack. Derek couldn’t tell precisely what it was, but it smelled _good_ and Derek wanted more of it. Stiles was still staring at him and he managed to reply, “Derek.”

“Not real talkative? That’s okay. I’ll talk enough for both of us.” Stiles plopped down in front of him. “What’cha doing with the blocks?”

“Nothing.” When Stiles just stared at him, Derek added, “Testing them.”

“Testing them? For what?” Stiles picked up one of the blocks, feeling it. “Deeereek. Did you bite the block?” His amber eyes lit up. “Wait. Are you a…” He leaned in close to Derek, letting the dark haired boy get a stronger whiff of whatever scent was so enticing. “Are you a werewolf?”

Derek glared at him. “It’s rude to ask that.”

Stiles reached out, tweaking his nose, and watching Derek go cross-eyed as he tried to follow Stiles’s fingers. “Oh don’t be such a sourwolf. I think it’s _awesome_!”

Derek rolled his eyes and rubbed Stiles’s head, handing him another block. Stiles grinned in response, leaning into him.

 

 

 

Talia frowned as her youngest cub walked slowly out of school, not quite dragging his feet, but clearly not eager to leave. “What’s wrong, pup?” she asked when he finally reached her. “Did something happen?”

“I’m fine, Mom,” he answered. “Can we go home?”

She ran a hand through his dark hair. “I know you aren’t the most cheerful pup, but even you don’t drag your feet like this. What’s wrong?”

“What does it mean when someone almost smells like pack, but isn’t?” he asked.

Talia swept him up into a hug, rubbing her cheek against his. “It means this person will probably be someone very important to you. Where did you meet your friend?”

“He’s in my class. His name is Stiles.”

“Well, I’m glad you made a friend on your first day,” Talia said, setting him back down. “You’ll have to introduce me.”

“He didn’t give me much choice,” Derek explained.

Talia hid a smile at the exasperation and admiration in Derek’s tone. “That might have been a good thing, pup,” she told him.

 

 

 

 

Derek was waiting by the door when Stiles got to the classroom the next morning. “Hey,” the brunette said with a grin. “You. Are you waiting for me?” Derek nodded, wrapping his hand around Stiles’s wrist and tugging him into the classroom. “Hey, easy, wolf boy, that does tug off. I’m coming with you.”

Derek rolled his eyes in response, but eased up. He didn’t want to actually hurt Stiles.

Stiles grinned when he realized what Derek was doing. “Good wolf.”

“I’m not a dog.”

“I know. You’re my wolf.”

Derek sighed in response, not really sure how to argue with that.

 

 

 

Stiles held his hands up as the first graders surrounded him. “Ya know we can talk about…”

A black shape burst into the middle of the group, teeth bared as he faced off against the group. He let out a sound that was barely more than a squeak before swallowing and letting out a much more respectable growl.

“Ha!” Stiles crowed. “Meet my werewolf! You get ‘em, Derek!”

Derek looked over his shoulder at him as if to tell him to shut up, then turned back to the boys, growling again and advancing slowly towards them. The boys kept up a menacing front for a moment, but in the face of an angry wolf; soon ran away.

Stiles threw his arms around Derek when the boys had vanished. “My wolf!” he declared. Straightening up, he added, “But you know I can take care of myself.”

Derek glared at him, clearly of a different opinion.

Stiles sat back, looking him over. “I can’t believe you’re an actual _wolf_. Oh my god. _Look_ at you. Am I allowed to pet you? Oh wait. You can’t actually talk. And you’re naked, aren’t you?” He slapped a hand over his face. “I shouldn’t have said that. But where are your clothes?”

Derek nudged him, knocking Stiles down until he was sitting on the rubberized matting of the playground. He lay down next to the human boy and looked up at him.

“Does that mean I can pet you? Cause I really wanna pet you.” Stiles sunk his hand into Derek’s fur. “It’s so soft,” he breathed.

Stiles kept rubbing and running his hands along Derek’s fur until he hit _that_ spot; the one that always made Derek slip into a puddle of goo. He felt his whole body go limp and he slipped sideways, falling into the young boy, and knocking them both over.

Derek almost immediately scrambled to his feet, concerned he had injured Stiles, but a peal of laughter reassured him. He nudged against Stiles as the younger boy wiggled his way to his feet, brushing the rubber from his hair. “Come on, let’s go find the teacher and some clothes for you. Cause you really are naked, aren’t you?”

 

 

 

 

Derek and Stiles sat on the chairs in front of the teacher’s desk, waiting for their mothers to get there. Whenever a pup lost control in public, if no one was injured, his mother or alpha was called in to deal with the consequences. In Derek’s case, Talia filled both positions. Since Stiles was involved in the incident that caused Derek to lose control, his mother had also been called in.

Claudia Stilinski was the first one through the door, sweeping Stiles off the chair and into a hug. “Are you all right, baby?” she demanded.

Stiles wiggled out of her grasp, rolling his eyes. “I’m fine, Mom. Derek wouldn’t hurt me. He was protecting me.”

She turned to the dark haired boy who was intently studying the floor. “Derek? Thank you.”

Before Derek could reply, Talia stalked into the room, taking in the scene in a glance. She immediately zeroed in on her son; her eyes flashing red as she demanded, “What happened?”

“He was protecting me!” Stiles immediately blurted out. “He stopped these bullies from beating me up. It wasn’t. He didn’t mean to. I’m sure he wouldn’t have. If he’d thought.”

Claudia put a hand on her son’s shoulder. “Stiles. Breathe.”

Stiles gulped in air, looking at his mom. “But, Mom.”

“It’s okay, sweetie,” she told him. “I think we understand.”

Talia nodded. “That explains why Derek shifted. “ Turning her attention to the teacher, she continued, “Derek has identified Stiles as pack and will do almost anything to protect him. You may have noticed him touching Stiles a lot. In addition some… initial loss of control is not unheard of in these situations. In fact, it’s actually a good sign that Derek was in control enough to _not_ injure the other boys and to shift back.”

“Stiles helped,” Derek mumbled.

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Talia said.

“So what you’re saying,” the teacher started. “Is I have more of these incidents to look forward to?”

“If the other boys leave Stiles alone probably not,” Talia told her. “And I’ll do some work with Derek at home to help him control it. It will probably not stop him from trying to protect Stiles though.”

Stiles shoved the werewolf, barely rocking him in his seat. “I can take care of myself,” he told him.

“You can’t even walk straight some days,” Derek told him.

“Just cause my head goes faster than my feet… it’s not a bad thing,” Stiles replied.

“Boys,” Talia warned.

“Sorry, Mom.”

“Sorry, Mrs. Hale.”

Talia reached out, running a hand through first Derek’s hair and then Stiles’s. Stiles looked confused, but submitted to the caress. “Are we done here?” she asked the teacher.

“I think so,” the teacher agreed.

“Good.” Talia got to her feet. “Derek?” She turned to Claudia. “Would you like to get a cup of coffee? The boys can play and maybe we can discuss what we’re going to do about Derek’s overprotectiveness.”

Claudia nodded. “I’d like that. Thank you.”

 

 

 

 

The two women got coffee at a local shop and settled at the near-by park, letting the boys run loose on the playground. Talia examined Claudia for a moment after they were settled. She didn’t look like a woman prone to hysterics, but one could never tell. “Has Stiles mentioned Derek at all?” she asked.

Claudia smiled. “Stiles hasn’t talked about anyone other than Derek at home,” she answered. “It’s Derek this and Derek that. The only thing he talks as much about is his academics. My son is extremely taken with yours.”

“Mine is the same. And I have a feeling it will only become more so. It’s not very often that a wolf finds someone from the outside that seems like pack to them. And Derek told me on the first day that Stiles was pack/not pack.”

“What does that mean?” Claudia questioned.

“It could mean a few things. It could be that Stiles is a friend of the pack. It could be that he’ll be a pack ally when he gets older. It could also mean that he’ll be someone very important to Derek.”

“Very important? Does that mean Derek’s mate? That’s what it means doesn’t it?” Claudia asked.

“Don’t. Claudia, that’s not something you should think about. The boys are very young. It’s possible it’s nothing more than friendship.”

Claudia looked across the playground to where Stiles was standing on the very top of the slide tower, Derek carefully watching to be sure he didn’t tumble off the top. “But you don’t think so.”

“I don’t know,” Talia admitted.

“It wouldn’t be such a bad thing,” Claudia said. “You know I wasn’t much older than the boys when I met John for the first time. I’m not sure I have any room to complain.”

Talia smiled. “Nothing’s going to happen for years. But look at it this way. Stiles will always have a protector in Derek.”

“Yes, he will.”

 

 


	2. Ages 9 and 10

 

 

 

**Ages 9 and 10**

 

 

Derek reached out and snagged Stiles’s shirt, preventing the other boy from face-planting into the wall. “One of these days you’ll learn to walk,” he commented.

Stiles made a face at him. “I walk just fine. Just because my brain goes faster than my limbs doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the way I walk.”

“Keep telling yourself that. I worry one of these days you’ll do actual damage.”

“You shouldn’t worry, I have my werewolf to take care of me,” Stiles said with a grin.

Derek knuckled his hair. “I won’t always be there.” His expression sobered. “Are you supposed to go to the hospital after school?”

“Dad doesn’t want me to, but he’s on duty so if I don’t go, Mom’s not going to have any visitors.”

  
"If you want I'll take you," Derek offered, pulling Stiles out of the flow of traffic before he got run over.

"I don't want you to get in trouble with Mom Talia if we..."

"Mom's busy with Cora. I mean not like super busy but if I go to the hospital with you she's not going to complain."

"Yeah. Okay. Fine. Whatever. I wanna see Mom so if you aren't going to get in trouble."

Derek stopped outside the door to Stiles's classroom. "I'll come get you after school."

"I can find my own way, Derek!" Stiles yelled after him.

Derek just waved over his shoulder in response.

 

The nurses were used to Stiles (with Derek in tow) showing up not long after school let out. The first few times, they’d immediately called Stiles’s father, but the deputy had assured them he knew where his son was and he was aware of what they were doing so the two nine year olds were able to make their way to Claudia Stilinski's room without being challenged.

Stiles paused outside her door and looked at Derek, who cocked his head to the side. After a moment he nodded. “She’s just resting,” he said softly.

“Thanks, Der,” Stiles replied. He pasted on a bright smile and pushed into the room. “Hey, Mom.”

Claudia’s amber eyes, so like Stiles’s, fluttered open at his greeting. “Stiles. Hi, baby.” Her glance flickered to Derek. “Hello, Derek.”

“Hi, Mom Claudia,” Derek said. He moved swiftly across the room, helping her sit up, before dropping his backpack in the corner.

Stiles dragged a chair over so he could sit next to the bed. “How are you feeling, Mom?”

“It’s been a good day, honey. How was school?”

“Fine. Dad’s working late tonight.”

“I know. He stopped by before he went on shift. Are you going to stay and eat dinner with me?”

Stiles glanced over at Derek, who shrugged in response. “I dunno. If not I guess I’ll go out to the Hales’.”

“Good. I’m glad you have Derek,” Claudia said. She reached out as if she was going to run her hand through Stiles’s hair, but her hand dropped before she could complete the gesture.

“Mo-om,” Stiles whined. “It’s not like that. At all. We’re nine.”

Claudia smiled at him. “You know I was about your age when I met your dad. Maybe a little bit younger. And I knew from the day I met him that he was the man I was going to marry.”

“Okay. Ew. Mom. That’s gross.”

“It’s not, sweetie. Sometimes you just meet someone and you know.”

“Yeah okay but ew Mom. I didn’t need to know that about you and Dad.”

“I think it’s kinda sweet, Mom Claudia,” Derek spoke up from where he sat in the corner.

“You would, wolf boy,” Stiles said.

Any further conversation was stalled when a nurse walked in. “How are you feeling, Mrs. Stilinski?”

“I told you to call me Claudia. Much better now that I have such handsome visitors,” Claudia answered. “Have you met my boys, Melissa? This is Stiles and his best friend, Derek.”

“No, I hadn’t. Hello, boys.” Melissa smiled at them before taking a closer look at Stiles. “Actually I think I do know you. Didn’t you work on a project with my son, Scott? He talked about nothing else for a week afterwards. It was nice of you to be so friendly to him. He doesn’t really know anyone in town yet.”

Stiles looked confused for minute before his eyes lit up. “Oh yeah. The map project. That was. Yeah.” His eyes flicked to Derek. “Scott did pretty good with that.”

A low growl came from the corner where Derek was sitting and both Claudia and Stiles rolled their eyes. Melissa looked shocked for a moment. “Umm,” she said.

“Derek is a bit possessive of my time,” Stiles said. “Down, boy.”

“Shut up, Stiles.”

“I’m sorry, but did he just… _growl_?” Melissa questioned.

“Um, yes. Yes, he did,” Stiles stammered. “He, um…” Stiles looked at his mother for help.

“Derek is a little over-protective,” Claudia explained. “And possessive as Stiles explained.” She smiled across the room at the dark haired boy. “And I can’t find it in me to complain.”

“This doesn’t cause problems?” Melissa asked.

“My son isn’t bullied,” Claudia pointed out. “And neither Talia nor I have to worry about the boys. We’re working on making them a little less insular, but they do spend time with Derek’s family.”

“Mo-om,” Stiles whined.

“And now that I’ve embarrassed my boys.” Claudia smiled. “I think they’re both staying for dinner.”

 

 

Stiles yelped and flailed as hands grabbed him, dragging him backwards. Glancing over his shoulder, he sighed. “Oh. Derek.”

Derek growled at the boy Stiles had been talking to, baring his teeth. “This is mine,” he rumbled.

“Ow. No. Bad wolf,” Stiles scolded. “One. Not a ‘this’. Two. Not a possession.”

“Um. Hi?” Scott ventured.

“Mine,” Derek growled in response.

“No. No. No. _No_!” Stiles said. “We’ve talked about this, Derek. I might be _your_ human, but I _am_ allowed other friends.” He pointed at the boy who was still watching them with a confused face, probably because Derek had his arms wrapped around Stiles and clearly wasn’t letting go. “This is Scott. Scott is Melissa’s son. We like Scott.”

“No,” Derek replied.

“Yes,” Stiles argued. “Are we seriously going there?” Derek nuzzled against Stiles’s neck before rubbing his cheek against Stiles’s. “Okay now that everyone knows I belong to you. Could you please let go of me? Scott isn’t trying to steal me. Take a deep whiff. _Hu. Man._ ”

Derek huffed. “Mine?” he questioned.

“Yes, crazy face. Can I breathe now? I promise. Scott and I were just talking about video games. Which I still refuse to play with you. You and your freaky werewolf reflexes.”

Derek grinned at his comment, rubbing his cheek against Stiles’s again. “It’s too easy.”

“Yeah I’m sure.” Stiles twitched his head away from Derek’s. “Stop that.”

“I don’t want to get into the middle of some… argument,” Scott started.

“You aren’t,” Stiles said. “Derek is still learning to use his real words. And share. He missed that lesson when we were in kindergarten.”

 

Derek contemplated the wall of the Stilinski house. It wasn’t like he’d never climbed the wall before, but the so convenient trellis hadn’t been anchored well the last time he’d tried it and he was loathe to attempt it again. At the same time, he needed to get to Stiles. Talia had told him what had happened today and he couldn’t leave the other boy alone and hurting.

Finally deciding to risk it, he gripped the highest rung he could reach and pulled himself upwards; quickly scrambling higher. The trellis shook under his weight, but didn’t peel away from the house. It wasn’t more than a few more scrambles and a quick duck out of the way of a tenacious vine before he was sliding the window to Stiles’s room open.

He tumbled into the room much less gracefully than usual, but there was no reaction from the boy curled on the bed. Derek crept across the room, whimpering low in his throat at the smell of distress wafting off the bed.

As he got closer, he could smell salt from tears, realizing that Stiles must be muffling them in the pillow his face was buried in. That was the last straw and he practically threw himself onto the bed, burrowing into the other boy.

Stiles jolted as Derek’s weight hit his and then he turned over, grasping the werewolf so tightly that Derek actually let out a small yelp at the grip. He was quick to let out a soothing rumble, reassuring the other boy that he wasn’t hurt; just surprised. He wrapped his limbs around his Stiles, rubbing his cheek against the bristle that passed for hair on the other boy’s head.

“I’m here,” he whispered. “I’m here and I haven’t left you. She loved you. Loved us all and didn’t want to leave you. She wouldn’t have left if she’d had a choice.”

Stiles didn’t say anything in reply, but simply clung tighter to Derek and the werewolf let him, feeling his shirt get soaked through within moments. He rubbed a gentle hand down the younger boy’s back, a soothing rumble issuing from deep in his chest.

Eventually Stiles’s crying slowed down, subsiding into hitched breathing and slower sobs before finally dying down. His grip on Derek didn’t lessen, even as he drifted off to sleep and Derek simply shifted them into a more comfortable position, keeping tight hold on him.

 

John Stilinski paused outside his son’s door, leaning his head against the door frame. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t do this all alone. He was supposed to have Claudia. She was supposed to help him and be beside him; see their son graduate, get married, adopt or have babies, not be gone before Stiles was even ten. He couldn’t believe he’d been left to do this all alone. And he knew he had the Hales to help him, but it just wasn’t the same.

With a heavy sigh, he straightened up, opening the door to Stiles’s room. “Stiles?” He paused as he entered the room, almost unsurprised to see two lumps in the twin bed instead of one. “Good morning, boys.”

Stiles flinched, almost falling out of bed, and Derek reacted, wolfing out into his half-humanoid form and growling at the intruder in room.

John held his hands up, trying to placate the werewolf in his son’s bed. “Easy, Derek. It’s John. It’s just John.”

“Don’t scare Stiles,” Derek growled.

“I didn’t mean to, Derek,” John assured him. He waited until the boy relaxed, settling back into the bed. “Stiles? Can you look at me?”

His son turned, finally facing him, and rubbing reddened eyes. “Hi, Dad.”

“Hey, son,” John said softly. “How about you come down for breakfast?”

“And school?”

“No. No school today. I have to make… arrangements for your mom,” John said awkwardly. “And I think you can stay here with Derek. If it’s all right with Talia.”

Derek nodded quickly. “Mom said I should stay with Stiles as long as he needs.”

“Why don’t you two change your clothes then and come down for breakfast?” John paused on his way out the door. “Oh. And Derek? Next time use the door.”

 

 

 _One Year Later_  
Derek tugged at the blankets Stiles had buried himself in, trying to pull them back far enough so he could at least _see_ his friend. “Stiles.” He sighed when there was no reaction from the lump on the bed. “If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to, but…”

“Go ‘way, Derek,” came from under the blankets.

“Can’t do that, Stiles.”

“Can, too.”

“I will _hit_ you!”

“Go ahead,” Derek said evenly. “If it will make you feel better.”

Stiles peeked out of the blankets. “You’d let me?”

Derek shrugged. “If that’s what will make you feel better? I’d rather you didn’t, but if you want to.”

“Rather have you here.”

It took Derek a moment, but he kicked off his sneakers and crawled into the bed, sprawling out across the blankets. “Want to tell me?”

“Dad made me go out this morning,” Stiles started, causing Derek to raise his eyebrows. So far it didn’t sound too bad. “To visit Mom’s grave.”

Derek whimpered softly at the distress he could smell and hear from Stiles, leaning over to nuzzle against the younger boy’s throat. Stiles threw his arms around the werewolf in reaction, burying his face in Derek’s chest. A rumble came from Derek at his reaction, clearly meaning to sooth Stiles.

“Stay with me?” Stiles asked.

“Of course.” Derek nodded. “Talia said I should stay if that was what you wanted.”

Stiles wrapped his hand in Derek’s shirt. “Yes. Stay with me forever.”

“Forever and ever,” Derek promised.


	3. Age 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m still kicking around ideas for the last chapter so once I get it straight, I’ll get to work on it. Sorry it took me so long to get this one done, the boys were rather stubborn.

**Age 16**

**  
**Stiles slammed his locker shut, just missing his fingers as a hand landed on the back of his neck. “Hi, sweetie,” a voice purred in his ear.  
  
“Augh!” Stiles jumped and flailed, spinning around and flattening himself against the lockers. “Don’t.  _Do_  that!” he yelped, glaring at Derek who had a small grin peeking out from the edges of his lips. “And you three! Don’t encourage him!” he added, glaring at the three betas standing behind Derek.  
  
Two of the three betas were grinning broadly while the third was eying them impassively. Stiles rolled his eyes at Boyd’s lack of response as Derek threw his arm around the slightly shorter boy’s shoulders. “I was sure you knew I was there.”  
  
Stiles poked him in the side. “And how, exactly, would I know you were there, sourwolf?”  
  
Derek looked abashed at the reminder that Stiles, unlike the rest of his pack, wasn’t a wolf. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”  
  
Stiles smiled to take some of the sting out of his words. “I know you didn’t. Did you guys have a good weekend?”  
  
Erica and Isaac grinned wider at the question while Boyd leaned against the lockers, crossing his arms. Stiles had stayed home for the weekend, staying away while they ran with the rest of the pack during the full moon. Normally he would wait with the other human pack members, but Boyd and Erica still didn’t have full control over their wolves and Derek didn’t want to risk it.  
  
“Derek thought we did really well,” Erica told him, bouncing a little on her toes. “Right?”  
  
“They did fine,” Derek agreed. “It’s probably safe for you to stay next month.”  
  
“Good. I missed you.” Stiles pressed a quick kiss to Derek’s cheek. “I missed all of you,” he added, looking at the others.  
  
Erica bumped up against Stiles, pushing him into Derek, and rubbing her cheek against him as she did so. The contact only lasted a second, but Stiles could see her visibly relaxing as she backed away. “See? Derek said we did fine,” she said with a grin.  
  
Stiles grinned back at her, reaching out to grip Isaac’s bicep before offering his fist to Boyd to bump. The stoic boy rolled his eyes, but responded, knocking his fist against Stiles’s. “Derek, our babies are growing up,” Stiles said.  
  
“Yeah, you’re real funny,” Boyd commented. He pushed off the locker. “We’ve got class.”  
  
“Aw come on, it was a little funny,” Stiles protested as Erica grabbed him and dragged him partway down the hall.  
  
Isaac bumped into them before they were even halfway down the hall, almost knocking Stiles over, and causing Erica to grab him before he slammed into the locker. Derek growled at them. “He’s clumsy enough on his own,” Derek reminded them. “Try not to injure him.”  
  
“Sorry, Derek,” Isaac and Erica chorused.  
  
When Derek looked at Boyd, he pointed out, “I wasn’t involved in this, but I understand.”  
  
“So you guys are coming over to study after school, right?” Stiles asked as Derek steered him into his first class of the day.  
  
“It’s just going to be us, right?” Isaac asked as the mini-pack took seats near the back of the room.  
  
“Um, well. I kinda invited Scott,” Stiles said. When the four werewolves turned glares on him, he hurried to explain. “He’s failing! And I thought it would be nice if you guys were friendly with him! You don’t have to be _friends_. Just you know. Friend-ly. And it’s. Ya know. One time. If it doesn’t work, I won’t ask him again.” He flailed a hand towards Derek. “Derek doesn’t even growl at him anymore!”  
  
“Why was Derek growling at him?” Erica asked.  
  
“Never mind,” Derek told them. “If Stiles wants us to try studying with Scott, we’ll study with Scott. Is that understood?”  
  
“Yes, Derek,” the three betas mumbled.  
  
  
  
  
  
Stiles looked around the kitchen, doing some quick calculations. He knew how much he ate and he was well aware of how much the wolves could eat on any given day (especially after a weekend of running in the woods). And he assumed Scott could easily eat as much as he did. Still Stiles thought he had covered every contingency.  
  
He was just debating whether he should grab some more snacks (knowing full well the pack would just raid the cupboards if they were still hungry) when someone knocked on the front door. “Scott,” he called. “Seriously, you can just let yourself in. Everyone else does.”  
  
“It’s rude to just walk into people’s houses,” Scott replied as Stiles let him into the house.  
  
“Yeah, but if I’m expecting you,” Stiles answered. He sighed as he heard thumps upstairs. “Although at least you use the door.”  
  
“Who are you talking to?” Scott asked before jumping as Derek came down the stairs, followed by the three teens that were normally around him and Stiles at school. “Holy! Where did you guys come from?”  
  
“Upstairs,” Derek replied. He paused by Stiles, pressing a kiss against his mouth and rubbing his cheek against the other boy. “Erica, Boyd, get the snacks for Stiles,” he ordered.  
  
The two headed for the kitchen, leaving Isaac with both their backpacks. The last beta immediately picked them up and headed for the living room. Stiles looked at Derek. “I could have done that.”  
  
“They can be useful,” Derek replied. “And they’re going to eat most of it.”  
  
“All right. Fine then.” Stiles motioned for Scott to head into the living room. He and Derek followed and a few minutes later Erica and Boyd joined them with the trays of food. As soon as Stiles sat down on the couch, Erica and Isaac dropped down on either side of him, cuddling up against him. Derek didn’t say anything as they both rubbed their heads and faces against him.  
  
“Um. What are they doing?” Scott asked after a few minutes.  
  
Derek looked up from the book he was reading to see and calmly answered, “Scent marking.”  
  
“And this isn’t bothering you? You practically ripped my head off for being friends with Stiles!”  
  
Derek shrugged, going back to his book. “They’re his. Why would it bother me? Although they better get some homework done.”  
  
Isaac squeaked at the strong words, ducking his head, and reaching for his backpack, while Erica just rolled her eyes. Stiles ruffled Isaac’s curly hair as the other boy sat back up, letting him lean into the human. “Derek, don’t scare him. You know he doesn’t do well with threats. Even softly voiced ones.”  
  
“I was only reminding him,” Derek pointed out.  
  
“He’ll get it done,” Stiles told him. He pressed his hand to Isaac’s when the curly haired boy whimpered at their arguing. “It’s okay, Isaac. We’re not fighting.”  
  
Derek reached across to lay a hand on Isaac’s knee. “We aren’t,” he assured the other boy. “And we’ll stop.”  
  
“Now what are we working on first?” Stiles questioned, opening his own books.  
  
“So wait. Wait,” Scott started. “Are they all werewolves, too?”  
  
  
  
  
“Why don’t you get the tickets and I’ll get the snacks?” Derek suggested as they got to the theater. “That way we won’t miss the previews.”  
  
“Well if you and Laura hadn’t decided to chase the rabbit,” Stiles pointed out.  
  
“The damn thing’s been eating Dad’s garden for a month. And hey, at least I wasn’t the one to catch it,” Derek replied.  
  
“Yeah there was no way you’d be getting kissed tonight if you had rabbit breath,” Stiles said as he got in line for the tickets.  
  
Derek simply grinned in response before heading into the building to get in line for the snacks.  
  
Once in line, he kept turning around trying to see if he could see Stiles, but the glass in the doors prevented even him from seeing. Finally he settled into the line, trying to decide what he’d treat Stiles to this time. He knew he’d get popcorn for the two of them to share, but Stiles had a sweet tooth too.  
  
“Hey, sweetcakes,” a voice said in his ear as he started to move up. “What are you doing here all alone?”  
  
Derek glanced to his left to see who was talking and almost stepped back, but just contained both his movement and his automatic growl. “I’m not alone.”  
  
“No,” the woman considered him. “A handsome thing like you wouldn’t be.” She smiled at him. “Oh, how rude of me. I’m Kate. And you’re a Hale, but which one are you? One of the young ones.” She rested a finger on her lips. “So you must be Derek. You’re much prettier than I was expecting.”  
  
Derek just contained his growl at her words. He could smell the wolfsbane on her, knew  _what_  she was; even if he didn’t know  _who_  she was. “You aren’t allowed to touch us,” he said.  
  
“No.” She seemed to consider his words, leaning in closer. “I’m not allowed to  _hunt_  you. Which is a damn shame. But nothing in the rules says anything about talking to you.”  
  
He opened his mouth to respond when he caught a hint of scent on the faint breeze by the air conditioner. A scent he was all too familiar with. Sweet, just a bit musky with a faint undertone of medicine that meant everything was all right. And overlaying all of it, the scent of Derek himself and  _pack_  and home. A familiar hand settled itself on the back of his neck and he leaned back into the body that had come up behind him, just enough so that he knew the other boy was there. “Hi, babe,” Stiles said.  
  
Derek didn’t give into his instincts and nuzzle him, but he did lean harder against Stiles, trying to convey how pleased he was with the other boy’s actions. “Did you get the tickets?” he asked.  
  
“Um, no,” Stiles answered, eyeing Kate from his position behind Derek. “They were sold out. Guess we’ll have to try again later. Guess it’s good you didn’t make it up to the front.” He nodded at Kate. “Who’d you run into?”  
  
“Oh, isn’t this cute?” Kate asked, putting one hand on her hip. “The wolf and his human out to see a movie. I didn’t know you did things like that.”  
  
Derek did growl at that and only Stiles’s grip on him kept him from wolfing out and attacking Kate. “You know, you’re a real bitch,” Stiles commented. “And some of my best friends are bitches.”  
  
The werewolf couldn’t help himself, turning his head and stifling a laugh at Stiles’s comeback. Kate was clearly speechless, unable to think of an immediate reply.  
  
After a moment, Stiles tugged on Derek’s arm. “Come on. Since we can’t see the movie, we’re out of here.”  
  
  
  
  
Stiles slammed Derek into the door as soon as it closed behind them, the werewolf allowing his human to manhandle him. “What did that  _woman_  want with you?” he demanded.  
  
“Nothing good,” Derek responded as Stiles’s fingers dug into his sides, pulling his shirt up as he tried to get to skin.  
  
“We need to call Mom Talia?” Stiles asked, even as he worked his thigh between Derek’s legs.  
  
Derek groaned as the scent of Stiles’s arousal hit him. “Could you not talk about my mom when you smell like that?”  
  
“But should we call her?” Stiles insisted.  
  
Derek sighed, leaning away from where he’d been pressing up against Stiles. “Yeah. We should. Can we do it before you attempt to get my shirt off any farther?”  
  
Stiles sighed, too, before pulling away from Derek. “Yeah. But I do get to take your shirt off, right? Because that woman touched you. And no. That’s just not right.”  
  
Derek pressed a fierce kiss to Stiles’s mouth in answer before pushing him away so they were no longer touching. “Yes. But lemme talk to Mom first.”  
  
“I’m gonna grab something to eat while you talk to her, okay?”  
  
“You really wanna eat now?” Derek asked, even as he was digging his cell phone out of his pocket.  
  
“No, but it means I won’t be trying to molest you while you talk to Mom,” Stiles replied over his shoulder. “Or getting involved in a video game with Scott.”  
  
Derek grabbed his belt loop. “Play your game. I’ll come distract you when I’m done.”  
  
Stiles grinned, leaning in for one last kiss before heading upstairs. Derek watched him for a minute before shaking off his preoccupation and dialing his mother. She answered on the first ring. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the movies with Stiles, my little wolf?” she asked.  
  
Derek groaned. “Mo-om,” he moaned. “Really?”  
  
“No matter how old you get, you’ll always be my little wolf,” she replied. “Now.  _Aren’t_  you supposed to be at the movies?”  
  
“The show was sold out. And we ran into some trouble,” Derek explained. “We’re fine,” he assured her before she could question him. “But there was a hunter at the theater. She approached me. And she saw Stiles.”  
  
“Is he all right?” Talia questioned.  
  
“He’s upstairs. We’re at Stiles’s home.”  
  
“Good. I want you to stay there for tonight. Did the hunter happen to give you a name?”  
  
“Just a first one, Mom. She said her name was Kate.”  
  
“Good. I’ll arrange a meeting with Argent. There’s no reason she should have approached you; especially in public and with Stiles with you. You’re safe enough at Stiles’s house; no one is going to bother the Sheriff’s house. And it’s protected.”  
  
“All right.” Derek smiled almost to himself. His mother understood that he wouldn’t want to leave Stiles after they’d seen a hunter and was giving him a reason to stay right where he was. “I love you, Mom.”  
  
“I love you, too. I love you both. Stay inside, Derek. Both of you.”  
  
“We will.”  
  
“I’ll call you later if there’s anything you need to know. Otherwise Laura will pick the two of you up from school tomorrow.”  
  
“All right. Good-bye, Mom.”  
  
“Good-bye, my little wolf.” Derek made a face as he hung up. He really had hoped he’d out-grow that particular nickname.  
  
Shoving his phone back into his pocket, Derek went first to the front door and made sure it was locked. He knew it was shut since Stiles had shoved him into it. Moving around the first floor of the house, he quickly checked the windows and the back door to be sure they were all locked. He could hear Stiles upstairs, cheerfully cursing at Scott over the video feed. He wanted to go to Stiles and finish what they’d started before he’d called Talia, but he knew if he didn’t finish checking the locks, he wouldn’t be able to concentrate. He knew the wards Talia and the sheriff had had Deaton put on the house would stop most things, but a good lock would slow down almost anything else.  
  
Finally finished, he grabbed two water bottles out of the refrigerator and headed up the stairs. He was glad Stiles had decided to play video games in his room which was permeated with the scent of both of them. Derek couldn’t wait to join him there.  
  
When he reached the doorway of the room, he stilled, watching his human for a few minutes. Stiles was flailing his arms as he trash-talked at Scott who was a small picture in the corner of his computer screen. Derek grinned at the scene before dropping to the floor and crawling across the room, adroitly avoiding the obstacles in his path. He had no idea how Stiles managed not to trip and kill himself when he got up each morning with the sheer number of objects he randomly dropped on the floor each day.  
  
Reaching the optimum point, Derek launched himself at Stiles, knocking him off the chair and causing the other boy to yelp in panic. He twisted as they went over the side so he’d land on the bottom as they tumbled to the ground. “What the  _fuck_?!” Scott yelled from the screen.  
  
Stiles laughed in joy as he realized what had happened, cupping Derek’s face with his hands for a second. He flailed one hand up towards the computer as Derek’s hands slipped under his t-shirt. “Gotta go, Scott.” He slammed the disconnect button and the window closed on Scott’s sputtering.  
  
Derek grinned at Stiles’s actions. “Didn’t you want to finish your game?” he asked.  
  
“Nope. All done with your phone call?”  
  
“Yup. I’m staying here. Mom’ll call later if we need to know anything. And Laura will pick us up from school.”  
  
Stiles’s eyes lit up at the news. “Staying here, huh? However shall we occupy ourselves until Dad gets home?”  
  
“We could watch a movie,” Derek suggested.  
  
“Oooor…” Stiles grinned, tugging on the collar of Derek’s t-shirt. “Off. Off.” When Derek still didn’t move, he repeated, “ _Off!_  Why are you always willing to take it off and run around shirtless at home?”  
  
Derek grinned in response before pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it to the side. “There are other reasons to be shirtless at home,” he answered.  
  
“But such a better reason now,” Stiles replied, running his hands down Derek’s bare back.  
  
Derek ducked his head, tucking his face into the crook of Stiles’s neck and inhaling deeply. “Anytime is a good reason,” he told the other boy, his voice muffled. His hands rucked Stiles’s own shirt up, dragging his fingers across the other boy’s stomach. Stiles shuddered at the touch, pressing up into Derek’s body. “What do you want?” Derek asked.  
  
“You to stop fucking around,” Stiles growled. He wiggled, causing both boys to groan and then Derek to growl as the other boy tried to squirm out from under him. “I’m not going.” He giggled as Derek’s hand brushed a ticklish spot. “I’m not going anywhere! I just want on top, sourwolf!”  
  
Derek let him go at his words; allowing Stiles to scramble out from under him. Stiles immediately straddled the werewolf’s waist, grinning down at him. For a minute the human boy stared down at his werewolf before his grin widened. “Now that you have me what are you going to do?” Derek questioned.  
  
Stiles ran his hands up Derek’s chest. “There’s so much I could do.” Turning his fingers over, he ran his knuckles down Derek’s side, causing the werewolf to buck up into him. “Like that?”  
  
“You told me not to tease,” Derek growled.  
  
“Who said I’m teasing?” Stiles asked as he wiggled against Derek. “I’m not teasing if I follow through.”  
  
Derek groaned as their cocks rubbed together through two layers of denim and whatever crazy-patterned boxers Stiles was wearing. “Stiles. Enough.”  
  
Stiles almost jerked back. “What?”  
  
“I just…” Derek squirmed a hand between their bodies. “It’s too much.”  
  
The human leaned down, nuzzling against Derek’s chest, even as his hands began to almost frantically work at the buttons and zippers on their jeans. It didn’t take Derek more than a moment to figure out what he was after and he almost ripped Stiles’s jeans trying to get them off. “Hey! Watch it. You like what’s under there,” Stiles said with a laugh as he wiggled his way out of the last of the constricting denim. “Yours?”  
  
Derek rolled them over, catching them before they tumbled off the bed, kicking his jeans to the floor. Both of them groaned as their bodies came into contact. For a moment, Derek murmured to him and Stiles let him, knowing that the werewolf needed the connection, even if his human couldn’t hear him. When he stopped, Stiles licked along the skin near him, sucking it into his mouth before pulling back to watch the mark disappear. “It is really…uuugg,” Stiles groaned as Derek sucked a mark into his collarbone, “unfair that you can mark me and I  _cannot_  mark you!”  
  
Instead of replying, Derek wrapped a hand around both their cocks, gripping them tightly and stroking them. Stiles groaned at the tight heat, wiggling, and tangling his legs in Derek’s. The werewolf rewarded his human by nipping at the other side of his neck from where he’d left the mark and continuing to stroke them. Stiles dug his fingers into Derek’s sides, confident that he couldn’t injure the werewolf.  
  
A few more strokes and Stiles was arching up, pressing himself as close to Derek as he could get as he spilled himself. As the scent of Stiles’s seed hit Derek’s nose, he let out a low growl as he added to the mess between their bodies.  
  
Derek sat up, straddling Stiles’s thighs with his own, and looking down at the mess on his human’s stomach. “Mine,” he proclaimed as he traced a finger through the sticky evidence of their activities.  
  
Stiles looked up at him through half-lidded eyes. “Ours you mean.”  
  
Derek grinned ferally, his eyes flashing gold. “No. Mine.” He spread his hand through the mess before beginning to rub it into Stiles’s skin.  
  
Wrapping his hand around the back of Derek’s neck, Stiles pulled until Derek sprawled across him. Stiles took that as an invitation to press himself upwards, rubbing their chests together. He also sunk his hands into Derek’s hair, tugging and angling so the werewolf slotted his mouth against his. For a few minutes the two traded lazy, sex-dazed kisses. When Stiles drew back, his lips were swollen and slick and Derek couldn’t resist dipping back in to nip at them.  
  
Rolling off of Stiles finally, he snagged the boxers from the floor, snickering at little at the frames from Marvel comics before using them to wipe off what was left of their cum. When they were both clean enough that they wouldn’t stick together, he grabbed the blanket that smelled strongest of the two of them and pulled it up, tucking it around them. Stiles had already started to drift off.  
  
  
  
  
  
Laura plopped down next to Derek where he was sitting on the bleachers next to the lacrosse pitch. “Why are you watching this barbaric game?” she questioned.  
  
Derek snorted at her question. “Really, Laura?” Pointing at the pitch, he replied, “Check out the players.”  
  
Laura narrowed her eyes. “Is that Isaac? And Stiles?”  
  
Derek grinned and winced as Stiles took a particularly hard hit, trying not to growl. “Yes.”  
  
Stiles bounced back up, turning towards the bleachers, and waving as if he knew Derek was watching. A moment later, Isaac bumped into him, covering his check on Stiles with a move that any friend would do. Derek nodded as his beta looked up at him, clearly indicating that Stiles was fine.  
  
“Well, you have him well-trained,” Laura commented.  
  
“He’s just overly fond of Stiles,” Derek replied.  
  
“And that doesn’t concern you?”  
  
“No.” Derek shook his head. “He knows Stiles is mine. It’s more. He thinks Stiles is his…” He shrugged. “Just his in a way I don’t really understand. I think because Mom gave Isaac to us and Stiles is willing to protect Isaac even from me, Isaac wants to protect him.” He smiled. “It’s good for them both.”  
  
“You are such a sap,” Laura teased. She reached out and squeezed Derek’s knee. “I’m glad you have Stiles and the unholy trio.”  
  
“Please don’t talk about my wolves that way. Besides they’ll be yours someday. I’ll pledge them to you when you’re Alpha.”  
  
Laura winced. “Let’s not discuss that.”  
  
Derek opened his mouth to respond as Stiles and Isaac bounded up the steps to join them. “What are you two discussing so seriously?” Stiles asked as he threw himself down on the bleachers next to Derek. The werewolf ran his hand across Stiles’s buzzcut, brushing the sweat from it.  
  
Laura made a face. “You two stink. You couldn’t shower before joining us?”  
  
Isaac made his own face. “Do you know what those showers smell like? I’d rather shower at home.” He turned his face towards Derek. “Can we go home?”  
  
Derek ruffled Isaac’s curls. “Yeah, Isaac, we can go home. Go grab yours and Stiles’s backpacks.”  
  
“I can get my own…” Stiles started to protest, but was interrupted by Derek sealing his lips with his own.  
  
“Isaac can get it,” Derek said when he pulled away.  
  
Stiles frowned at him even as Laura gagged in response to their kiss. “You don’t fight fair,” he told Derek.  
  
“If you two want to make-out, I’ll just take Isaac and leave,” Laura commented. “Give me the keys.”  
  
Stiles glared at her. “You’re not driving Baby.” Grabbing Derek’s hand, he hauled the werewolf up. “Come on. Let’s go.”  
  
Halfway down the bleachers, Stiles tripped and Derek caught him before he fell headlong into the wood; not even noticing the movement until the human was upright again. Laura shook her head at their interaction.  
  
Isaac was waiting at the edge of the pitch, both backpacks slung over his shoulder. When Stiles tried to take his, the younger werewolf shook his head and shifted out of his way. “I got it, Stiles,” he said in a soft voice.  
  
“Okay, I can see when I’m out numbered.” Stiles held up his hands in surrender before linking his fingers with Derek’s. Together the group headed out towards the parking lot.  
  
They were almost to the house when Laura leaned forward, gripping Derek’s shoulder. “Can you smell that?”  
  
“Smell?” Derek tilted his head, clearly scenting the air. “Is that…?”  
  
“Smoke. Stiles…”  
  
“On it,” Stiles replied, already shifting gears and pressing the accelerator to push the Jeep to go faster. “Do you think it’s the house?”  
  
“I don’t…” Laura gripped the back of the seat, her claws digging in. Stiles winced at the sound of tearing fabric. “There’s nothing else out here.”  
  
“Okay. Relax, Laura. I’m getting there as fast as I can,” Stiles said, taking the last curve before the house almost on two wheels.  
  
The wolves were out of the Jeep almost before he’d stopped, running towards the house as fast as they could on two legs. They stopped, as if they’d slammed into an invisible barrier just a few feet shy of their goal, and let out anguished howls as they realized they’d been prevented from entering. “Stiles!” Derek yelled.  
  
Stiles could see the black line on the ground and realized what had happened, realized someone had lined the border of the house with mountain ash; trapping the family inside, and his friends out. He stumbled to a stop himself just where the others had been foiled and looked down at the line. “Who would…?” he started.  
  
Laura grabbed him. “Stiles, the house is on  _fire_!”  
  
“I  _know_ , Laura!” he shouted. “I can’t!” He looked down at the line, before crouching down by it. “I believe,” he whispered. “I  _believe_.” He brushed his hand across the line, watching as the ash blew away; the power dissipating as the line broke. “Go!” he shouted, urging the wolves into the house. “Get the family! I’ll call the fire department.”  
  
Even as the three wolves rushed into the house, Stiles dug his cell phone out of his pocket and quickly dialed 9-1-1. “Fire. Hale House,” he gasped out as he tried to count wolves and humans who were pouring out of the house. “We need trucks, ambulances, a cruiser. It’s Sheriff Stilinski’s son,” he added before they could ask who it was. “Send my dad, okay?”  
  
He hung up without saying anything else, needing to help Derek; help their pack. Shoving his phone back in his pocket, he dashed up the stairs, only to meet Derek as he burst out the door, one of the youngest pack members cradled in his arms. “Stiles, take her,” he ordered, shoving the pup into Stiles’s arms.  
  
“I’m going to help,” Stiles protested.  
  
“You can help more by  _taking_  her,” Derek insisted, turning them around as he bundled the two of them away from the house.  
  
“We will discuss this, sourwolf!” Stiles yelled after him, even as he hurried back down the steps, the little girl held tightly against his chest. He peered down at her as he got away from the porch. “Hi, Rea,” he said when he realized who he had. “Can you cough for me?”  
  
She stared up at him with wide eyes before latching onto his t-shirt with one hand. Stiles cuddled her to him in response, figuring she couldn’t be too badly damaged if she was holding tight to him. He shifted her until she was in a more comfortable position and went back to counting heads and looking for the assistance he’d called; hoping the fire wouldn’t spread too far.  
  
The wolves heads jerked up a moment later and it wasn’t long before he heard the sounds of sirens himself. “Oh thank god,” he breathed. “Rea, there’s help.” He looked around, trying to locate Derek, who’d apparently disappeared again.  
  
The wolves and humans that were able had swung into action, either assisting other pack members or working to fight the fire that was threatening their home. As the fire fighters began unloading their gear from the trucks, Stiles backed away, trying to figure out where his own wolf had gone. He wanted to pass Rea over to one of her parents, but her mother was among those more severely injured and her father was helping fight the fire.  
  
“Stiles!” a familiar voice yelled and he spun around to see his father hurrying toward him.  
  
“Dad!” Stiles lifted his hands, intending to hug his father, but realized he’d have to put Rea down to do so. His father ignored his handful and wrapped his arms around them both, hugging them tightly, and drawing a squawk from the pup. “Are you okay? Did you inhale any smoke?” he demanded.  
  
“Derek wouldn’t let me go inside,” Stiles replied. “Don’t squish Rea.” He shifted the pup until she stopped fussing. “There was mountain ash ringing the house.”  
  
“Which means a human.” The sheriff nodded. “Is everyone all right? Everyone accounted for?”  
  
“As far as I can tell.”  
  
“Everyone’s accounted for. But there was wolfs bane in the fire,” Derek said from behind Stiles.  
  
Stiles let out a shriek but kept his grip on Rea. “Don’t  _do_  that!” he yelped.  
  
Derek nuzzled Stiles’s neck in apology before turning to the sheriff. “Mom is organizing the treatment for anyone affected by the wolfs bane.”  
  
“Does she need anything for that?” John asked.  
  
Derek shook his head. “There’s others of the pack with her, including Laura. I think she has everything well in hand.”  
  
“Okay. I’m going to speak with my deputies and the fire fighters, see what’s going on and what I can find out about what happened. You two boys try to stay out of trouble, all right?”  
  
“Yes, sir,” Derek answered immediately.  
  
When Stiles didn’t say anything, John just looked at him. “I doubt Derek is going to let me out of his sight, Dad.”  
  
Derek wrapped his arms around Stiles as soon as John walked away, nuzzling first him and then Rea. “Thank you for not going into the house,” he whispered.  
  
“I could have helped,” Stiles pointed out.  
  
“And I wouldn’t have been able to if I’d been worried about you,” Derek replied. He peered down at Rea who’d drifted off, still clutching Stiles’s t-shirt. “Is she all right?”  
  
“She seems to be,” Stiles said. “I don’t think she inhaled any of the wolfs bane.”  
  
“Good,” Derek declared. “I’m glad you were here. I can’t. What would have happened if you hadn’t been able to break the line. Laura and I would have lost everyone. Everything.”  
  
Stiles turned so he was completely wrapped up in Derek’s embrace. “I will never let that happen if it’s in my power to prevent it,” he promised. “I love you.”  
  
“I love you, too,” Derek whispered. “Mine.”  
  
“Mine,” Stiles pledged in return.


	4. Age 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I saw this picture a few days ago This is Mine and just had to do something with it. And this is it. The last chapter of this. I’m glad y’all enjoyed it. And I’m kinda sad to see the boys go, but I have a bunch of other TW fics planned… well a few others planned. At least one that will probably be long if the notes are anything to go by. I don’t plan to come back to this verse, but well I never say never. :-)

Stiles attempted to juggle his bag, books, and phone as he got to the jeep, trying to dial the phone and open the door of the jeep at the same time. “Fuck it,” he said as he dropped the books and his bag. He managed to catch his phone before it also hit the ground.  
  
“Stiles?” Derek’s voice sounded far away since the phone wasn’t at his ear.  
  
“Hey, babe, hang on,” Stiles called, knowing Derek would be able to hear him. He glared at his books on the ground, then kicked them closer to the jeep. “Hey,” he said. “So I’m done with classes and I’m headed back to the house. Are you done?”  
  
“I’m already back at the house,” Derek answered. “Why are you swearing?”  
  
“Nothing. I dropped all my books. No big deal.” Stiles paused, frowning as he tried to figure out what he wasn’t hearing from Derek’s end of the phone. “If you’re at home, why don’t I hear anyone?”  
  
“Because no one is home right now,” Derek replied and Stiles could hear the smile in his answer.  
  
“So.” Stiles wrenched his door open. “Okay. I’ll be home as soon as I can.” He scrambled around, dumping his books haphazardly into the jeep.  
  
“Stiles, don’t rush. I don’t want you to…”  
  
“I’ll be fine, Derek,” Stiles insisted. “See you soon.” He tossed the phone onto the passenger seat and threw the jeep into reverse, backing out of the parking space, and then heading out of the lot.  
  
  
  
  
Stiles sighed as he pulled into his parking space beside the Hale house and noticed that Laura’s and Cora’s cars were in their spots. So much for the house being empty. He gathered up his books, shoving them into the bag, and then fished around for his phone, which had fallen into a crack of the seat. By the time he had everything settled, Derek was at the door to the jeep, a slow smile spreading across his mouth.  
  
“Hey,” Stiles greeted him, leaning through the open window to kiss him hello.  
  
“So the girls came home,” Derek started.  
  
“I see that,” Stiles said. “So much for your intentions.”  
  
“Just because they’re home doesn’t mean we can’t…” Derek trailed off as he nuzzled against Stiles, smiling at the shudder that went through the human boy.  
  
“Even though I’ve known you forever, it’s still freaky how  _much_  your family _hears_.” Stiles shook his head, pushing Derek back so he could get out of the jeep. “I’m not having sex with you in the middle of the day when your sisters can  _hear_  us.”  
  
Derek took the backpack from Stiles, almost daring him to argue. “But it’s okay at night?”  
  
“That’s different,” Stiles tried to argue. He rolled his eyes when Derek grinned at him. “Never mind. It’s not happening.”  
  
“That’s what you say now,” Derek said.  
  
“That’s what I’m sticking with,” Stiles argued.  
  
“Fine then. I have something I want to talk to you about.”  
  
“What’s wrong?” Stiles questioned as they entered the front foyer of the house.  
  
“Nothing’s wrong. I just want to talk to you.” Derek glared as his sisters’ heads popped out of the living room, clearly looking for the two of them. “Without the help of anyone else,” he added.  
  
Cora stuck her tongue out. “Stiles is ours, too, Derek,” she complained.  
  
Derek growled in response, causing Stiles to step back into his personal space. “Okay so possessive werewolf shit is tabled,” he ordered. He pushed Derek towards the stairs. “You. Upstairs.” He pointed towards the girls, who were still in the living room. “You two stay down here. And no listening in!”  
  
Laura made a face. “Because we want to hear the two of you having sex.”  
  
Derek snarled, heading back down the stairs, but Stiles put his hand on Derek’s chest, stopping him. “Go back. Laura’s just trying to get a rise out of you. Which is clearly succeeding.”  
  
“You might be alpha-elect, Laura,” Derek said in as even a tone as he could manage, “but Stiles is  _my_ mate. And you  _will_ remember that.”  
  
Laura growled in reply, her eyes flashing gold at Derek. Stiles groaned. “Oh would you two grow up?!” He pushed at Derek again. “Derek, Laura is clearly yanking your chain. Laura, I know it’s hard, but stop being a bitch.”  
  
Stiles shook his head when they were in their room with the door shut. “Ya know I get your possessive wolf shit. I have for years, but your sister totally does that to get a rise out of you.” He thumped Derek gently on the forehead. “Seriously, dude?”  
  
“Don’t call me dude,” Derek grumbled.  
  
“I’m gonna call you dude when you’re acting like an idiot.” Stiles kicked off his sneakers before throwing himself down onto the bed. “Ug. I didn’t think my class was ever going to end today. Why did I think a Master’s was a good idea?”  
  
Derek wiggled up on the bed next to him, settling his face in the crook of Stiles’s neck and inhaling the scent of his day. He sighed with contentment. After a minute he answered, “Because you’re brilliant.”  
  
“And you’re biased,” Stiles replied, twisting so he could comb his fingers through Derek’s hair.  
  
“Yup,” Derek agreed easily.  
  
For a few minutes they lay there, Derek content to let Stiles essentially pet him. After a bit Stiles nudged him. “I thought you wanted to talk to me.”  
  
Derek grumbled, rubbing his cheek against Stiles’s shoulder. “Sleepy.”  
  
“Yeah, you’re cute, but it must have been important since you didn’t want anyone else’s help.”  
  
Sighing in response, Derek rolled over, moving gracefully into a sitting position. Stiles moved much less easily, plastering himself to Derek’s back. “I need to ask you something.”  
  
“You know you can ask me anything, Sourwolf,” Stiles replied, pressing a kiss to the nape of his neck. “What are you so worried about?”  
  
Derek laced his fingers through Stiles’s, holding the human in place. “If you had your choice. If Mom offered it to you, would you accept?” He paused as if unsure how to phrase the question.  
  
“Would I accept what?” Stiles questioned, twisting so he was looking Derek in the eye.  
  
“Would you let Mom give you the bite?” Derek asked, cupping Stiles’s cheek.  
  
“I…” Stiles took a deep breath. He reached up and kissed Derek before pulling back to answer him. “I want to say no but I have my reasons and I have a qualifier. If I’m ever in danger or if I’m going to die, then yes I want it. I don’t want to leave you. I know that I’m not going to die young and leave you to carry on without me because of our bond which is why I’m saying no. Unless something happens. And I can’t take the chance that the bite will kill me and leave Dad with no one.”  
  
Derek dumped Stiles on the bed, pouncing on him and rolling them both over until they were in the middle of the bed and Stiles was caged by his body. Instead of looking scared by being contained by someone that could easily rip his throat out or otherwise hurt him; Stiles grinned up at Derek before reaching up and pulling his head down. The two boys kissed; Derek almost frantic as he tried to touch as much of Stiles as he possibly could. “I love you,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to Stiles’s throat.  
  
“I know,” Stiles answered. “I love you, too. Is that okay? You’re all right with my decision?”  
  
“Of course.” Derek dropped down on top of Stiles, then rolled to the side when the boy oomphed in reply. “I love you; I could never get upset by your choice. And I understand.”  
  
  
  
  
  
Stiles nudged Derek who had octopused himself into holding Stiles as tightly as possibly. Stiles wasn’t sure he could get himself out of the hold. “Hey. I gotta go help Mom Talia with dinner. It’s my turn.”  
  
Derek groaned but released Stiles, allowing the human to pull him to his feet. “Do you want me to tell Mom your choice?”  
  
“Does it have to be now?” Stiles asked, considering his sneakers for a moment before rejecting them.  
  
“No, but we can’t wait too long.”  
  
Even Stiles could hear Laura’s voice when they reached the first floor. “It’s not right, Mom.”  
  
“Life is not always  _right_ , Laura,” Talia answered in an even tone. “It is the way life is.”  
  
“Mom, I  _still_  haven’t found my mate.  _Cora_  hasn’t found her mate. And Derek found his when he was  _five_!” She threw up her hands as the two boys entered the room. “Who the hell finds their perfect match when they’re  _five_!?”  
  
“At least we were  _both_ five, Laura,” Derek pointed out, dropping into the chair next to Cora.  
  
“Not. Helping. Derek,” Laura growled.  
  
“I don’t want a mate,” Cora pronounced. “Yech.”  
  
“You will one day, baby,” Talia told her. “Stiles, would you make a salad please?”  
  
  
  
  
  
Stiles twitched as the phone in his pocket vibrated, glancing around the classroom to be sure no one had noticed his spastic movements. Luckily the rest of the class was focused on attempting to stay awake and pay attention to their droning lecturer. Squirming around, he dug the phone out of his pocket. Sliding his finger across the screen, he read the message, and almost flailed his way out of his seat.  
  
“Mr. Stilinski, is there a problem?” the professor asked, raising his eyebrows at Stiles’s attempt to stealthily gather his things.  
  
“No. Yes. Um. I have to go,” Stiles babbled. He grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder. “Sorry.”  
  
Hitting the release bar for the door that would lead him outside, Stiles backed out the door, thumbing speed dial on his phone at the same time. It rang once before Derek picked up with a barked, “Stiles. I’m at work.”  
  
“Yeah. Well. Sorry. I just got a text from Dad. He needs us down at the station.” Stiles dug in his pocket for his keys, shifting his bag around until he could reach them without dropping anything.  
  
“Stiles, just because I work for myself doesn’t mean I can just take off whenever I want,” Derek pointed out.  
  
“They caught Kate.”  
  
“They. What? Stiles. You better not go without me,” Derek protested. “I don’t want you anywhere near that woman without me.”  
  
“Derek, an entire station of cops will be there. And she’ll be cuffed. And Dad will be there. I’ll be fine. Just close up shop and get there as soon as you can.”  
  
“ _Stiles_!” Derek yelled.  
  
“Gotta go. You always tell me not to talk and drive. Love you.”  
  
Stiles was positive Derek had some choice things to say to him, but he didn’t hear any of them as he hung up the phone. He’d deal with the fallout later. He was sure Derek would be too distracted once he got to the station to yell at him.  
  
  
  
  
  
When Stiles pulled up in front of the station, Derek was already there, leaning against the side of his F-150 with his arms crossed. Stiles was sure he was glaring at the jeep, even if he couldn’t tell through the sunglasses. “Hey, babe,” Stiles said as he swung himself out of the jeep.  
  
“Do not ‘hey, babe’ me,” Derek growled. “You made me think you were calling from here or somewhere in town.”  
  
“I did not,” Stiles said as he approached his mate. “You didn’t ask me where I was or for any clues. You _assumed_.”  
  
Derek peered over his sunglasses before tipping them back up and growling at him. “I don’t like it.”  
  
Stiles stepped into his personal space, wrapping his arms around Derek. “I know.” He pressed a kiss to Derek’s collarbone before attempting to step back. “Come on. Let me go so we can go in and give our statements and go home.” He grinned at Derek. “I want a movie night.”  
  
“Oh you do, huh?” Derek asked as he slung an arm around Stiles instead of holding him close.  
  
“I totally think we both deserve it.” Stiles waved at the woman at the desk, smiling when she just indicated they should go on into the back. “Do you disagree?”  
  
“I’m not dignifying that with an answer.”  
  
Stiles crowed with laughter as he knocked on the doorframe to his dad’s office. “You so agree.” He poked his head into the sheriff’s office. “Hey, Dad. Got your text.”  
  
“Just give me a minute, Stiles,” the sheriff replied. “Wait outside, please.”  
  
Stiles leaned against the wall outside the room, glancing at Derek after a minute. “Can you hear anything?” he asked.  
  
“I’m not listening in on your dad,” Derek said. When Stiles gave him a particularly pleading look, he glared. “No.”  
  
Stiles looked at him again. “Why not?”  
  
“Because it’s wrong.” When Stiles continued to just stare at him, he added, “And there’s nothing to hear. John isn’t talking to anyone.”  
  
Stiles rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to say something else when John called, “Come in, boys.”  
  
“Stiles said you caught Kate?” Derek asked before they even sat down.  
  
“Sit down, Derek,” John replied. When both boys had dropped into visitor chairs, John answered, “Yes, we caught her and she’s being held under suspicion of both the fire at your house and a host of other charges.”  
  
“But she could still get out,” Derek said.  
  
“It’s always a possibility, but it’s not a high one in this instance. There’s a lot of evidence stacking up against her. And not just from that case.”  
  
“So it’s over?” Stiles asked, reaching over for Derek’s hand.  
  
“For the most part. We’ll need new statements from both of you which you can do today or later on.”  
  
The boys exchanged glances. “I think we’d like to do it today,” Derek said. “Get it over with and put her behind us.”  
  
“All right then. I’ll get you set up with a detective and have you go over your original statements. It shouldn’t take you long.” John paused before he got to his feet. “I’m sorry to put you through this again, boys.”  
  
“Hopefully this’ll be the last time, Dad,” Stiles replied.  
  
  
  
  
  
By the time they returned to the Hale house, both boys were exhausted emotionally. Stiles sent Derek upstairs immediately before heading into the kitchen to gather snacks since they were most likely going to forgo dinner. He headed upstairs once he’d left a note for Talia so they most likely wouldn’t be disturbed.  
  
Derek had changed into a pair of sweatpants and removed his shirt, but was pacing around the room instead of lying in bed. Stiles raised an eyebrow at his movement, but ignored it in favor of dropping the snacks on the table next to the bed. “You planning to lay down?” he asked when Derek continued to stalk around the room even after he stripped his own clothes and picked a pair of shorts out.  
  
“Did you pick a movie?” Derek asked in exchange.  
  
“You got up here first, I assumed you would,” Stiles replied, flopping on the bed. He patted the mattress. “Derek, pick a movie and come lay down with me.”  
  
“Are you sure you’re going to be warm enough in shorts?” Derek questioned as he flipped through their DVDs, looking for something to watch. “I don’t want you to get chilly.”  
  
“Yes, Mother Hen, I’ll be warm enough once you get your cute ass into bed with me. You are my personal space heater,” Stiles answered with a smile.  
  
A smile flashed across Derek’s face and he finally put a movie in, moving gracefully across the room to climb into bed with Stiles. He tried to maneuver Stiles so the human lay in his arms but Stiles pushed against him until Derek acquiesced and allowed his mate to wrap him up and pull him down against his body. “I’m not a baby,” he grumbled.  
  
“No, you aren’t,” Stiles agreed. “But you dealt with a traumatic experience today and I get to coddle you a bit.”  
  
“And it wasn’t traumatic for you?” Derek asked.  
  
Stiles brushed a hand down Derek’s bare chest until it rested just above the elastic of Derek’s sweatpants. “I’m more than compensated by holding you.” He grinned as the movie started. “And you picked one of my favorite movies with fast cars and hot guys and I get to feel up my guy.”  
  
“Snacks?” Derek asked.  
  
“Popcorn and beef jerky and carrots. Which really, Derek, that is the weirdest thing ever. But I know you love them.”  
  
Derek turned as the truck barreled on screen, rubbing his cheek against Stiles’s shoulder. He didn’t need to watch the movie, they’d seen it a million times, but Stiles’s scent beneath his nose and body beneath his? He always needed that.  
  
  
  
  
Derek wrinkled his nose as he stared up at the house that matched the address Stiles had given him. Music poured out of the open windows, causing him to wince at the sound level. The last thing he wanted to do was go into a house that smelled and was loud, but Stiles was in there and he wanted his mate.  
  
Taking a deep breath of the cleanish air, he mounted the steps to the house and opened the door. Reeling back as the wave of sound abused his eardrums, he attempted to filter the music and yelling out; looking for his mate’s heartbeat. He knew he wouldn’t be able to find Stiles’s voice among all the yelling and screaming even though he knew it better than he knew his own. He winced again as his ears were assaulted by the noise. There was no way he was going to be able to find Stiles with his senses in all this.  
  
Instead he reached inside himself and tugged on the bond he shared with Stiles. It wasn’t so much a psychic connection as a… Derek had no idea how to describe it, but it helped him know where Stiles was. It never told him how the other boy was feeling or anything other than a general direction, but now it led him towards the back of the house.  
  
As he got closer, he was able to tune out some of the noise and home in on the comforting heartbeat. He breathed an inaudible sigh of relief as he heard it’s steady, familiar rhythm. It didn’t sound like Stiles was in any distress, despite his text of  _come save me_.  
  
Stiles was leaning against the island in the kitchen, chatting with a mixed group of males and females. As Derek advanced into the room, a scent caught his nose and he realized that someone in the group was a wolf. He knew his mother had given someone from a neighboring pack permission to enter their territory to attend school. And apparently they had found Stiles.  
  
Glaring at the group surrounding his mate, he wasn’t surprised to watch them part before them. A grin lit up Stiles’s face when he spied Derek and he set his cup down. “Hey.”  
  
Derek didn’t bother greeting him in return, but crossed the room, meeting Stiles and growling at the boy who tried to get in his way. He snarled when he smelled non-pack on the other wolf. “Mine.”  
  
“Easy, big guy,” Stiles tried and moved with him as Derek put his hands on the boy and shoved him into the wall behind them. A hand behind his head prevented Stiles’s head from banging against the plaster.  
  
“Mine,” Derek repeated, ducking his head and mouthing along his collarbone. He licked the bone before sucking a mark into the skin. He turned to look back at the others, flashing his eyes briefly at the other wolf. “Don’t touch.”  
  
“Yeah. Okay. Got it,” the other boy stammered.  
  
Stiles slapped Derek on the shoulder. “Okay, possessive wolf. Had your fun? Wanna let me go?”  
  
“Mine,” Derek told him.  
  
“Yeah I got it.” Stiles nodded at the group who was watching them warily. “And so do they. And we’ve had this discussion about you being a caveman.” He attempted to push Derek away. “I am allowed to have friends.”  
  
Derek ducked his head, slightly embarrassed by his actions. “Sorry.”  
  
“It’s okay, babe. But seriously. Could you please remember that I am allowed to talk to people other than you? Even other wolves.”  
  
“Where are the others? Isaac and Erica and Boyd?”  
  
“They’re around. It’s fine, Derek.”  
  
“Why the text?”  
  
Stiles grinned, tugging on Derek’s belt loops. “I missed you.”  
  
Derek rolled his eyes. “Less drama next time.”  
  
Stiles grinned and was opening his mouth to say something when the other wolf interrupted, “Derek, Mr. Hale, sir? I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to move in on your territory, sir. I just…” He gulped as Derek turned to face him head-on, keeping Stiles behind him. “I couldn’t smell you on him. I couldn’t smell he was claimed. And I’m not. I wasn’t interested in anything other than talking to him about classes. I just…”  
  
Stiles burst out laughing. “Derek, stop glaring at the kid. He’s eighteen. He was just asking me which classes to take. He’s a criminal justice major.” He wrapped his arms around Derek from behind. “Come on. Take me home.” He leaned his weight on Derek. “Take me home and remind me that I’m yours.”  
  
“Fine,” Derek ground out. He searched the group, picking out one of the humans he recognized. “You know Isaac?” he asked.  
  
“Um, yeah?” the girl answered.  
  
“Tell him I took Stiles home,” Derek ordered.  
  
Stiles groaned. “Derek, don’t order people around.”  
  
“Please,” Derek added. “And thank you.”  
  
“Melody, thank you for passing the message to Isaac. And tell him I’ll see him tomorrow,” Stiles called over his shoulder as Derek towed him out of the room. He grinned as his wolf wrapped a hand around his wrist. He really couldn’t argue with what was about to happen.  
  
  
  
 _End note: The movie the boys are watching is the Fast and the Furious. And I have no idea why carrots either. Derek just insisted he likes them._


End file.
